Why do we get sick?

Sometimes you wake up with a sniffly nose or a sore throat and feel poorly. Why does that happen? Usually the answer is far too tiny to see: germs.

Germs are too small to see

Germs are living things so tiny that thousands could sit on the tip of a pin. Some germs are called bacteria and some are called viruses. Most germs are harmless, but a few can make you feel ill if they get inside your body — through your nose, your mouth or a cut.

Your body fights back

Luckily, your body has its very own little army, called the immune system. When unfriendly germs sneak in, your army rushes over to fight them off. Sometimes the battle gives you a warm forehead (a fever), a cough or a runny nose. Those yucky feelings are really signs that your body is hard at work winning the fight.

How to help your body

You can help your body stay well. Washing your hands sweeps germs away before they get a chance to climb in. Resting, drinking water and eating good food give your army the strength it needs. And covering your cough stops your germs from hopping over to other people.

Wonder fact: A single sneeze can fire tiny droplets out of your nose as fast as a racing car — which is exactly why we catch our sneezes in our elbow!